Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medical condition characterized by an abnormally low level of neutrophils in the blood. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that are essential for fighting bacterial infections.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The patient's chemotherapy caused severe neutropenia, making them highly susceptible to infections.
  • A diagnosis of neutropenia requires careful monitoring of the patient's white blood cell count.
  • Fever in a patient with known neutropenia is considered a medical emergency.

Advanced Usage

• "Febrile neutropenia": A critical condition where neutropenia is accompanied by a fever, indicating a high risk of a severe, potentially life-threatening infection.
  • Patients undergoing bone marrow transplant are closely watched for signs of febrile neutropenia.

Variants and Related Words

• Neutrophil (n): The specific type of white blood cell that is deficient in neutropenia. They are the body's primary defense against bacterial and fungal infections.
• Leukopenia (n): A broader term for a low white blood cell count. Neutropenia is a specific type of leukopenia.
• Neutropenic (adj): Relating to or affected by neutropenia.
  • The patient was placed in a neutropenic isolation room.

Synonyms

• Granulocytopenia: A more technical term often used interchangeably with neutropenia, referring to a decrease in granulocytes (a category that includes neutrophils).

Notes on Meaning

• Medical Specificity: "Neutropenia" is a precise medical term. It is not a general term for feeling unwell or having a weak immune system; it refers to a measurable laboratory deficiency of a specific blood cell.
• Cause and Effect: The condition is typically a result of another process, such as chemotherapy, certain medications, autoimmune diseases, or bone marrow disorders. It is not itself a disease but a sign or complication.

Noun

1. leukopenia in which the decrease is primarily in number of neutrophils (the chief phagocytic leukocyte)